Gunfire and explosions heard in Watertown as police descend on Dexter Street

Friday

Apr 19, 2013 at 12:01 AMApr 19, 2013 at 7:05 PM

The search for a shooter who killed an MIT security guard late on Thursday night stretched into the early hours of Friday as gunfire and explosions could be heard across the east side of Watertown.

Dana Forsythe

The search for a shooter who killed an MIT security guard late on Thursday night stretched into the early hours of Friday as gunfire and explosions could be heard across the east side of Watertown.

Reports of explosions and gunfire flooded the police scanner late on Thursday night as a search for suspects in an MIT campus shooting led into Watertown near Laurel and Dexter Street. According to police scanner reports, the suspects reportedly stole a Mercedes Benz and then a Mass. State Police SUV after gunning down a campus security officer around 11:30 p.m. in Cambridge.

What followed was a chase around the east side of Watertown, with reports of the suspects throwing homemade bombs out of the car window at police. One Watertown resident took video of the ensuing shootout near Dexter Avenue, in which one of the suspects was believed to be killed.

As of 1:27 a.m., the BPD had reported that one suspect had been captured and transported to a local hospital and that the other suspect, described as “Dark-skinned white or Middle Eastern male, clean shaven, wearing a blue and white Christmas-style cap with a snowflake on it” was still at large.

Later reports identify the suspect as having ‘curly dark hair’ and wearing a ‘grey hooded sweatshirt.’

Early reports also indicated that an officer, possibly from Watertown had been injured.

Around 1:40 a.m. police were pushing back a crowd of onlookers outside of Coolidge Corner in Watertown, near Kimball Street. Police personnel and army men in full fatigues told the crowd of between 50 and 75 people, mostly media to get back.

At 2:42 a.m., a spokesperson from the Mass. State Police announced that one of the suspects had been captured while the other remained at large.

By 3:30 a.m., Police had expanded their search alongside federal forces in the area of the Arsenal Mall and School Street.

“I’m not sure you want to be here, they’re still looking for someone,” an officer told a reporter earlier.

A Boston cab driver told another reporter that he’d just finished taking his bike out of his cab near Dexter Street when he heard three loud “pops.” When he went to investigate police told him to stay back.

Police are urging everyone to stay inside of their homes. The area is considered extremely dangerous. There is one suspect who is reported to be in custody. Another suspect remains on the loose, in what is described as a very active scene.

An MIT police officer was shot multiple times and died from his injuries late Thursday evening, the Middlesex County District Attorney's office confirmed. According to the District Attorney's office, the MIT campus police officer was responding to a report of a disturbance in the area of Vassar and Main streets was reportedly shot.

According to authorities, the officer was found evidencing multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to the hospital and pronounced deceased.

State Police said they were assisting in the search for a suspect or suspects, processing the crime scene, and providing investigative support.

According to the University's website, "12:28am Update on shooter situation. Responding agencies are actively investigating the situation, which remains very fluid at this time. Police continue to sweep the campus. Stay indoors and remain inside until further notice."